Okami (Wii) Review

Okami is a new 3D adventure game created by Capcom. The game was originally released for PS2, but due to its innovative gameplay mechanic and fan demand, it has now been ported to Wii, where it's actually more fun to use this original idea.

Gameplay
The game is basically an adventure game. You get to explore the land of Nippon, solve puzzles and get through dungeons. Most of the battles happen when you enter the enemies' zones. When battling you will be in a closed area against the enemy party. You have to defeat the enemies in order to get out of the battle, or you can also sometimes look for a crack and escape from the battle by opening it. Defeating the enemy party will give you money and other items. To play the game you use the Nunchuk combo, and the controls actually work pretty well. Doing the basic attack, which is assigned to shaking the Wii Remote, can be a bit troublesome at first. It doesn't work like the Wii version of Twilight Princess in which you could just randomly shake the remote. In Okami, you need to time your shakes to execute combos properly. There's also a subweapon which can be used by pressing a button on the nunchuk. This slot can be used as either a shield or a long-ranged weapon. There is also another weapon which is the innovative idea I mentioned at the start, the "Celestial Brush". By pressing the B button on your Wii Remote, you'll be able to use this weapon which will freeze most things on the screen and lets you draw special commands by pressing the A button and pointing at the screen. This is where the Wii version shines since on the PS2 version you had to draw using the analog stick. It's sad, though that in rare occasions, the game won't detect the drawing you made and count it as if you didn't do anything.

Story
Okami features a story based on Japanese mythology. During some time in the past in the land of Nippon, someone has broken the curse of the demon, Orochi, which had been sealed for 100 years. Sakuya calls you, Amaterasu, the sun goddess and reincarnation of the white wolf Shiranui, and asks you to remove the curse that covers the land.

Graphics
Okami supports widescreen and 480p. The game looks really nice with it's unique graphic style that simulates old Japanese drawings achieved through cell-shading. It runs at full 60 frames per second all of the time without any slowdown. The animation of the characters have also received enough detail and look natural.

Sound
The soundtrack of Okami is pretty good. The music also has some classical Japanese style into it, but is used properly in each and every situation of the game. The sound effects are good and fit properly into what is happening in the game. The game supports Surround sound which is always nice and welcomed.

Single-Player
The only mode of the game is its adventure, which is a long and good one. You'll travel through lots of places, meet people and other creatures, and beat different kinds of enemies and bosses. You also have several subquests which you have to complete to get rewards which could be items or money or points to level up your skills.

Secrets/Unlockables
While going through the game, there are several extra missions which you can complete. Most of these will give you new special items that are useful to make your main quest more enjoyable. You also get special stuff and new options after you beat the main game.

Replay Value
The game is long and highly enjoyable. The way how the story and characters are developed through the game are also great. And you also have several subquests and unlockables that will keep you busy for a while.

Okami is a great adventure game from Capcom. With it's unique graphic style, interesting story, nice soundtrack, and innovation in gameplay, it's highly enjoyable and a must-buy title.